Little Girl Lost and Found
by LivinitLovinitLaughinatit
Summary: A little girl is found in the woods hurt, alone, and broken and nobody seems to care. Nobody except the members of a very special family.
1. Chapter 1

**This story has some dark spots that deal with child abuse...some of it sexual in nature, but it will all be implied...nothing too graphic. This is more a story of healing and recovery than one of horror, though some horrific things have happened to lead us to this point. I picked the rating cuz I just don't trust some of the players to curb their obnoxious tendencies. It is a little known fact that Emmett and Rosalie's native tongue is profanity. And Jasper speaks Pig Latin. But I digress.**

**I've never written fan fiction before. Or any fiction, really. Ok, so I've never actually written anything other than a check in my life. Oh. And I'm not a doctor. Or a psychologist. Or a vampire. I might make mistakes. Please be gentle. Oh. One more thing. I'm most definately not the amazing Stephenie Meyer who, of course owns Twilight and anything you might recognise from it. I own a camera, a cat named Romeo, and more Polly Pockets than any grown up has any business owning. **

Dr. Carlisle Cullen sunk into the hard plastic cafeteria chair, rubbing his face. As if the action could wipe away the frustration he felt. The problem wasn't the fifteen flu patients he'd seen that morning or the fact that he was called in to work a few hours after he'd fallen asleep the night before. In fact, he had taken to voluntarily going in a bit early every day for the past two weeks. The reason for this was also the root of his uncharacteristic sour mood. Two weeks ago a child who was found unconscious on a hiking trail in the forest was brought in to his emergency room. So far, nobody had stepped forward to claim the pale little girl with dark blond curls that Carlisle himself had painstakingly detangled and brushed during one of his early morning visits. Her description had not fit any of the missing children reports that Police Chief Charlie Swan had pored over from around the country. It seemed that other than a few members of the hospital staff, Charlie, and the Child Protective Services worker who had been assigned her case, nobody cared one bit about this little girl. Missy, as the nurses had taken to calling her, appeared to be between the ages of nine and twelve and life had not been kind to her. Examinations conducted by Dr. Cullen and his colleagues revealed that she had suffered tremendously at the hands of another, and for some time. She currently had a broken wrist and numerous bruises, but the x-rays confirmed that she was no stranger to broken bones. When the ambulance brought her in, she was dirty and severely malnourished. Her tiny battered body had also been tortured in the most repulsive way possible. Thick scars rendered her genitalia nearly unrecognizable. While she had technically regained consciousness after having sufficient fluids and nutrients introduced to her system, the little girl was not what anyone would consider to be "awake." She spent her days either lying in, or sitting up in her bed or chair, whichever position the last staff member attending to her had left her in. Her eyes were open, revealing dark blue, almost purple orbs that revealed not one single emotion. She didn't acknowledge the presence of others, or the presence of anything else for that matter. When she continued to ignore food, the attending pediatrician was forced to insert a feeding tube. She didn't use the bathroom, leaving the staff no choice but to resort to the use of disposable diapers. Carlisle knew better than to get emotionally attached to his patients, and, while he cared for them all deeply, usually avoided doing so. But in all his years as a doctor, he'd never had such a lonely little soul as a patient.

"Carlisle, It's been two weeks," Tanya Denali, the hospital's Director said as she perched on the edge of the chair next to him. "Her injuries are healing nicely and there is no medical reason for her to remain here. I know how you feel, but we have no choice but to transfer her to Drake." Arthur Drake Children's Hospital in Tacoma, roughly 350 miles from their small town of Forks, Washington, specialized in the residential treatment of Autistic children.

"Tanya," Carlisle sighed, preparing to rehash the same argument he'd had with other staff members and colleagues who have suggested a transfer to Drake. "I'm not one hundred percent convinced of the Autism diagnosis. If this is a Post Traumatic Stress episode and we don't treat it as such, she may never recover." Tanya pursed her lips and gave the blond doctor a sympathetic look.

"It's not our call to make anymore, Carlisle. She's going to Drake as soon as I can arrange for transport," she said quietly, lowering her head and dropping her eyes to the table as she delivered the news.

"No. She isn't," Carlisle said with a determination that made Tanya sit up straight and snap her eyes back to his, her long blond curls bouncing with the movement. "I'm taking her home."

**So...should I continue? Or go back to shopping and writing checks?**


	2. Chapter 2

**This story has some dark spots that deal with child abuse...some of it sexual in nature, but it will all be implied...nothing too graphic. This is more a story of healing and recovery than one of horror, though some horrific things have happened to lead us to this point. I picked the rating cuz I just don't trust some of the players to curb their obnoxious tendencies. It is a little known fact that Emmett and Rosalie's native tongue is profanity. And Jasper speaks Pig Latin. But I digress.**

**I've never written fan fiction before. Or any fiction, really. Ok, so I've never actually written anything other than a check in my life. Oh. And I'm not a doctor. Or a psychologist. I might make mistakes. Please be gentle. Oh. One more thing. I'm most definitely not the amazing Stephenie Meyer who, of course owns Twilight and anything you might recognize from it. I still own a camera, a cat named Romeo, and more Polly Pockets than any grown up has any business owning. **

**I was going to make this a vampire story, but it just doesn't fit the storyline very well. I will do another one that embraces the bloodlust, I promise. **

"Is she retarded?" Emmett asked earning sharp scowls from his brother, Edward and their father, Carlisle. He ducked his head, looking remorseful enough that none of the others gathered around the table found further reprimand necessary. "Sorry. I meant to ask if she is, you know," he paused, searching for a more appropriate word, "_normal_?" He glanced up from under his lashes at his father seeking approval for his choice. He also sought an answer. Carlisle sighed, opting not to correct his youngest son, but rather to measure his words carefully. He knew that, even though approved by the legal powers that be, Missy's placement within their home rested heavily on the acceptance of the situation by the children he and his wife Esme had already adopted. Even though the older two were grown and quite capable of living on their own, and at 17, the younger two were not far behind them, it seemed that none of them seemed to be going anywhere any time soon. Edward, who was in his third year of medical school, and Jasper, studying to be a psychologist, shared enthusiasm for the challenge their father had presented to them. Alice, Emmett's twin, showed a near frenzied reaction to the possibility of a new little sister. No doubt she already planned the little girl's wardrobe and room décor. Esme, the quintessential mother, was also excited for the chance to provide a loving home and quality care to yet another child who so desperately needed one. Emmett was the only one who seemed to harbor any doubt that bringing a child with such special needs into their home was a good idea.

"We don't exactly know the extent of her capabilities, or limitations for that matter, but I'm confident that in the right environment, she will have the best chance to reach her full potential," Carlisle explained.

Emmett took a bite of the cereal and marshmallow snack that he had been toying with, using his full mouth as an excuse not to answer right away. He thought back for a moment to what life was like for him and Alice before the Cullens had brought them home when they were thirteen. He remembered living with their beautiful, drug addicted mother a in a rusted out station wagon. He remembered being enraged in the shelter where the older kids mercilessly bullied his tiny black haired twin. Truth be told, they scared Emmett with their viciousness, even though he was much bigger than all of them. That didn't stop him from using his fists from time to time to make it crystal clear that Alice was under his protective wing. He remembered the string of foster families that all eventually sent the pair on when Emmett's boisterous personality and insatiable appetite wore on their nerves. He remembered the sheer despair he felt when their case worker made the painful decision to separate them. Alice was to be sent to yet another foster home, Emmett to a group shelter for teenaged boys. When the Cullens interviewed Alice and heard of the situation, they insisted on bringing both children home with them that day. Though he didn't say it often enough, he knew how much he owed to the whole Cullen family. Rolling his eyes at himself, he suddenly felt guilty for even thinking about the role he contemplated playing in denying another kid the same opportunity. Even one who might never even know the difference. He only allowed his thoughts to linger on how Missy coming soon was going to impact him the most for a very brief second. Time for that to be considered further later. His decision made, he beamed at his father. "I guess it wouldn't totally suck." He giggled as the rest of his family released the breath they collectively held in waiting for his declaration.

"Language, dear," Esme scolded gently though her own grin.

"So when will she be here?" Alice asked. "I have so much to do! Edward, I need to go to the mall. Mom? Pink or purple for the walls? Jasper and Emmie, I'll need the room painted tonight! How big is she Dad? I need to get her just a few things to start…"

"Alice!" Jasper gasped as he stood up. Resting his hands of the edge of the table, he leaned over it to shorten the distance between his face and hers. "Rein it in a bit there girlfriend!" He had empathetic tendencies with most people, but Alice's exuberance threatened to consume him. She grinned at him sheepishly and shrugged. Edward and Emmett shared a laugh at the desperate look on Jasper's face as he plopped back into his chair.

"Sorry, Jazz," she conceded. "I just want everything to be perfect."

"Well, as far as I know," Carlisle said as he gently hugged his daughter's shoulders, "she is all set to be transported first thing in the morning." He released Alice and pulled his cell phone from the front pocket of his pants. "I need to call Tanya and tell her Missy is definitely coming here."

"Come on, Tink," Edward called from the kitchen doorway as he grabbed a bottle of water. "I'll give you one hour at the mall. You'd better be wearing your track shoes." Alice grumbled halfheartedly as she followed him to the garage, her spirits dipping for a moment over the imposed time limit. Before they were through the door, though, she had perked up enough to bounce a few times as she told Edward that she knew just which store carried the perfect clothing choices for a little girl. "Perfect," Edward mocked with an eye roll and a grin.

Esme left the room to make arrangements for furniture to be delivered so that Missy would have a place to sleep. Most people might have to wait for such accommodations to be made, but the Cullen name, if not their money, prompted local businesses to keep them in their good graces. Their efforts were always greatly appreciated. The Cullens were perhaps the nicest, most generous people in town. They were always among the first families called upon to sponsor a sports team or hobby club. Emmett still sat at the table with Jasper, eating yet another bar of cereal snack.

"You aren't thrilled about this." Jasper didn't need to form his words into a question; he already knew this to be true. He ruffled his little brothers dark curls. "Why? What's going on in that pretty little head of yours?" Emmett turned to the side and ducked from under Jasper's hand with a scowl. He knew lying was useless. He sighed in resignation and tried to explain.

"Mom does enough already for us. She doesn't need another full time job," he began. Jasper nodded for him to continue, knowing the younger boy was skirting a bigger issue. "And she's going to take the room next to Edward's. He's been planning for months to turn it into an office for you two to share."

"Emmett? It's sweet of you to be so concerned about Mom's workload and our office space. Really, it is," Jasper started as he ran his hands through his hair. When he reached the bottoms of the blond curls where they rested near his chin, he grasped them tightly and leaned forward to rest his elbows on the table. "But I know that neither of those things are enough to make you almost tell Dad that you didn't want this little girl to come here. It's something else. Spill, Kiddo." Emmet turned to once again to face the table and looked into Jaspers bright blue eyes.

"What about Mom and Dad's vacation?" Emmett murmured as he leaned back in his chair, Jasper thought they were finally getting somewhere. Every year their parents spent a week on the little Caribbean island that Esme's grandfather gave them as a wedding present. When they were younger, her sister Elizabeth would come to stay with the children. For the past few years, though, the general consensus was that they did not need a babysitter. It had become a week all of the family members looked forward to as a period of privacy for the parents and independence for their children. "Who's going to take care of her when they go? Will they still go?"

"Em, she is one little kid. One little kid who doesn't even get into things. I'm sure that between all of us we can handle caring for her for one week. There's no reason Mom and Dad will have to cancel their trip," Jasper reasoned. Emmett folded his arms, laid them on the table and dropped his head onto them.

"I hope not. Rosie would fucking kill me! She's got her heart set on going to Seattle for the weekend that week," Emmett admitted. He had been going out with Rosalie Hale for the better part of a year and knew that what Rosie wants, Rosie gets. He also knew that he had a better chance of being elected the President of Scandinavia than of his parents letting him go to Seattle with his girlfriend for a weekend. Going while they were gone was the perfect plan. He was pretty sure he could get his siblings to cover for him while their parents were gone.

"Really, Emmett?" Jasper asked, clearly bewildered by his little brother's misplaced concern. "_That's_ what you were worried about? Losing your chance to get laid somewhere other than the backseat of your Jeep? Compassionate much?" Emmett looked properly chagrinned for a fleeting second, then his sharp featured took on a look of disgust.

"I'm sorry, Jazz!" he growled lowly as to not alert Esme to their discussion. "I'm sorry that I don't have the same drive as the rest of you to save the world one fucking sob story at a time. I'm sorry that I would rather get laid than change fucking diapers. _Diapers_ for fuck's sake, Jasper! I agreed to let the little freak come here because it seemed to be what you all wanted so damned badly. I agreed just to make all of you happy! You and Edward can play doctor, Alice can play dress up, Mom can have a perpetual infant in the house, and Dad can pat himself for taking in another waste case, but don't think for one minute, that I'm going to have anything to do with that little piece of trash that someone else already threw away!" Emmett knew that he was being more than unfair to his brother and his new little sister. He was being downright mean spirited and hateful, which was usually so unlike him. He didn't even know why. Did he even really feel the bitterness that his words were laced with? Was he really that much of a monster to be so mean towards someone in the position Missy was in? He was pondering this when the next thing he knew, he was knocked out of the chair and sprawled on the floor with Jasper sitting on his chest; his arms pinned under Jasper's knees. He didn't have time to register his surprise that his brother was even able to lay him out like that before a fist solidly connected with his lower jaw. Jasper now had his full attention.

"You will shut the fuck up right now before you say something that is really going to piss me off. You can do or not do whatever you want, but you will not say one more word about that little girl or what her being here is going to mean for anyone in this family, you selfish, self centered little shit. Do you understand me?" Jasper spoke evenly, softly. His voice, though, was icy cold with the anger that he felt towards the big oaf that was pinned underneath him. Emmett, quickly recovering, scowled at his brother and easily rolled out from under him.

"Ya, Jazz, I understand you. I'm sorry I made you so mad," Emmett said, and he meant it. Jasper was usually one of the calmest, coolest people he knew. To see him so undone was unsettling and Emmett felt guilty for being the one responsible for that. "But that doesn't change the way I feel about this," he said as he stalked out the door and to his Jeep.

**I hate that Emmett is being such a jerk. Missy comes home in the next chapter. Hopefully I'll get it posted later this week. Thanks for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

**This story has some dark spots that deal with child abuse...some of it sexual in nature, but it will all be implied...nothing too graphic. This is more a story of healing and recovery than one of horror, though some horrific things have happened to lead us to this point. I picked the rating cuz I just don't trust some of the players to curb their obnoxious tendencies. It is a little known fact that Emmett and Rosalie's native tongue is profanity. And Jasper speaks Pig Latin. But I digress.**

**I've never written fan fiction before. Or any fiction, really. Ok, so I've never actually written anything other than a check in my life. Oh. And I'm not a doctor. Or a psychologist. Or a vampire. I might make mistakes. Please be gentle. Oh. One more thing. I'm most definately not the amazing Stephenie Meyer who, of course owns Twilight and anything you might recognise from it. I own a camera, a cat named Romeo, and more Polly Pockets than any grown up has any business owning. **

The ambulance service brought Missy to her new home just before lunch time. Esme and Carlisle got her settled into her new room. It had been transformed from a spare room to a bedroom fit for a princess by the time she had arrived. Jasper and a very sullen Emmett had, as Alice had ordered, been up until the wee hours painting the walls a pale lilac. Emmett tried to get out of it by claiming he was tired from football practice and school. When she was excited about something, though, the resident pixie was a true force of nature and would not be denied. The functional yet stylish white twin bed, dresser, nightstand, and desk had arrived just after Alice and Emmett had left for school. The rocking chair in the corner of the room had been moved in from the family room. There were a few prints on the walls. The pastel garden scenes gave the room a soft comfortable feeling, as did the pale yellow bedding.

Esme had Missy dressed in one of the outfits Alice had brought home and sitting in the rocking chair. Carlisle came in to show his wife and Jasper, who had no classes that day, how to feed the girl. The process was fairly simple. It involved filling a syringe with a milkshake-like formula that was rich in proteins and nutrients, then injecting it into the end of a tube that was surgically implanted into and protruding from the girl's stomach. After the prescribed amount had been introduced, a small amount of water was injected in, mainly to clean the inside of the tube. Esme blanched only when she realized how long it must have been since Missy had a warm meal in her stomach, if she'd ever really had one at all. Carlisle smiled as he wrapped his arms around his wife's waist and leaned down to kiss her gently. Being as intuitive a husband as he was a doctor, he knew full well where her thoughts had taken her. He told her that if it would make her feel better, she could warm the liquid a little before feeding the little girl. He warned her to be careful, though, that she didn't make it too warm. He left for the hospital shortly after lunch, leaving instructions for Jasper to show the others the feeding process over the next day or so. This was necessary if Esme would have to be away from the house for more than a couple hours at a time. If this ever became the case, nobody would have to worry that the child wouldn't eat. Since her diet consisted of entirely liquid, feedings had to be fairly frequent.

"So Mom, what do you have planned for the rest of the day?" Jasper asked from where he casually leaned in the doorway, his ankles crossed one in front of the other, arms lightly folded across his chest. Sitting on the edge of the bed, Esme opened her mouth to answer. She snapped it closed again as she glanced up at the unresponsive girl sitting slightly to her right. She had wanted to take advantage of the rare sunshiny afternoon by trimming a few of the hedges along the front of the house. She considered putting the job off until another day only a moment before tilting her head determinately and smirking.

"I think Missy and I are going to go do some work in the yard," she answered; a plan clearly in mind "Sweetie would you please take Missy outside to sit in the front?" Jasper chuckled and flashed his mom a wide dimpled grin. He effortlessly scooped his new little sister up and carried her down the wide staircase and out to the gazebo that was built into the corner of the generous wrap around porch. He carefully placed her on one of the wicker loveseats with overstuffed cushions. He manipulated her legs until they were arranged in a position that had her stretched out on the cushions. It was a pose that he had seen Alice assume on the same piece of furniture, so he figured it had to be a comfortable one. As he sat next to her hips so he was facing the little girl, he found himself marveling once again at how empty her gaze seemed to be. Though her expression hadn't changed and there was no proof that she would even be able to hear or comprehend his words, Jasper thought it important to allay any fears that someone who had been abused as she was may have had.

"Missy, you hang here and enjoy the fresh air for a bit. I promise that Mom and I will be right here. You won't be out of our sight and we will keep you safe. Nobody is ever going to be able to hurt you again," he said softly, his voice cracking slightly over the last few words.

Jasper was dragging the now heavy trash can back to its spot next to the garage when his phone chimed, indicating a new text message.

***J & E – Are you both free in about an hour? Need to create a care plan for Missy and would like your help and input. – Dad***

Swelling slightly with pride over the fact that his father valued his knowledge and trusted him enough to help in such a significant manner, Jasper grinned as he texted a reply that stated that he was free and would be there. He finished helping Esme clean up her tools just as Alice carefully rolled her prized yellow Porsche to a stop on the driveway. Driving the work of art was perhaps the only activity Alice ever practiced with deliberate calm. Every other waking moment was like her own personal pep rally. After gathering her purse and books, exiting the car and gently shutting the door, one would think that a switch was flipping somewhere deep inside the sprite like girl. She squealed and bounced a few times as she realized that the little girl was on the porch, then skipped up the steps of the porch and into the gazebo.

"Oh Mom!" she gasped as she plunked herself down on the edge of one of the chairs, as close to Missy as she could get without rearranging the furniture. "She's adorable! I just knew that shade of green was going to look great on her. She's going to be a knockout when she grows up. Such gorgeous blond curls and perfect cheekbones. Jazz, when do you think she's going to get better? I want to teach her everything there is to know about clothes and hair and makeup and boys and drive her places with her little friends and talk abo…"

"Alice!" Jasper laughed, effectively forcing her to take a breath. He took a seat on the love seat next to Missy, inconspicuously watching for any possible reaction from the girl. There was none. "I love that you are so excited to have her here, but please calm down! You'll scare her!" Alice flashed him a scowl, then a sheepish grin as she scooted back into her chair.

"Sorry. So what _can_ I do with her? Right now, I mean. There's got to be something," she guessed. As if on cue, their mother chose that moment to come through the front door carrying a tray of drinks and glasses. When she set the tray down on the small table next to Missy, Jasper noticed the syringe and small cup of Missy's dinner.

As she poured lemonade into glasses for her two older children, Esme suggested that Jasper teach Alice how to feed the younger girl while she went in to start dinner for the rest of the family. Showing no trace of squeamishness, Alice seemed thrilled for the chance to learn to do something so important. Just as she started injecting the first dose into the tube, Emmett raced up the driveway, his radio blaring the latest Lady GaGa song, skidding his obnoxiously loud Jeep to a stop in his customary style next to Alice's car. He slammed the driver's side door and bounded up the steps, skipping every other one. Seeing what was taking place on the porch, he interrupted his terribly off key singing to gape at the scene before him. Jasper barely caught the look of wonderment cross his brother's face before it changed to one of disgust.

"What the fuck is that shit? And shouldn't you be doing that in the bathroom or something? That's just foul!" he bellowed.

"This is how she eats, Emmie," Alice clarified. She personally thought her twin was being a big baby over getting a new sister and she wasn't quite sure why. She did know, however, that she was going to make sure to have a talk with the big lummox about it. "Missy, this is Emmett. He's loud and huge and truly a jerk sometimes, but he does have his good points. For instance," she said quietly as she leaned closer to her new little sister as if she were sharing a grave secret, "he excels at lifting heavy stuff, reaching every top shelf in the house, and he finds spider extermination to be a sport…keeps score and everything," she said with an exaggerated head shake and eye roll. Jasper chuckled, privately loving the way Alice was interacting with Missy. He made a mental note to make sure to include time for the two girls to spend together in Missy's care plan. "Emmett, this is Missy and you'd better be nice to her."

"What the fuck ever!" Emmett roared incredulously. "Like I'm ever not nice. Besides," he added quietly, not really wanting to provoke the wrath he knew his tiny twin to be capable of. His eyes slid to Missy once more. "I really don't think it matters much in this case, does it? I still think that shit is disgusting," he groaned as he continued on into the house, most likely in search of junk food.

Quickly getting over Emmett's annoying display of brashness, Alice once again pushed the plunger of the syringe with her thumb. Just as Jasper opened his mouth to caution her to go slowly, Missy heaved slightly, a mouthful of the formula Alice had just given her spilling out of her mouth and onto the front of her shirt.

"Oh! Jazz! I'm so sorry!" Alice gasped in panic. Jasper shushed her, noticing the tears welling up in her eyes.

"It's ok. I should have warned you to go slow sooner." Seeing nothing else nearby to use, he pulled his t-shirt over his head and mopped up the mess the best he could. Just as Alice finished cleaning the tube with water, Carlisle's BMW quietly pulled in the drive followed closely by Edward's Volvo.

"Hi guys," Carlisle greeted his children. Edward, deducing what had happened by Jasper's half nakedness and the spot on Missy's shirt, flashed his siblings a smirk.

"Welcome to my world," he said to them. He climbed the steps and stooped to a squat in front of Missy, fixing his green eyes on her blue ones. "Hi Missy. I'm Edward. I'm so glad you are here," he said simply. The girl stared, but more through him than at him. He gave her a sweet smile and stood up as Esme called from inside that dinner would be ready soon. "C'mon you," he said as he easily picked her up and headed inside. "I bet you've had a long day. Alice and I will get you cleaned up and ready for bed." Alice jumped up and ran ahead of them, exclaiming that she knew just which jammies would be most comfortable for the little girl to wear.

While they worked together to get Missy ready for bed, Edward showed Alice how to chart many of the aspects of their little sister's care, including how much and when she ate and, as closely as possible, how much and often she voided. Alice surprised him by only scrunching her nose a little as he walked her through the steps of attending to the less appealing tasks of the younger girl's personal care. Any traces of distaste were soon forgotten as Alice twisted Missy's curls into elaborate braids, reluctantly tying the ends off with elastics and leaving the room only when Esme threatened to hide the keys to the Porsche if they weren't both at the table in one minute. Edward gently pushed Missy to lie down and pulled the covers up snuggly under her chin. Her eyes already drooping, he grinned and touched her hair as he left her side.

"Good night little one," he whispered as he left the room and pulled the door shut.

The conversations around the table revolved mostly around Missy's first day in her new home and each family member's interactions with her. Most of the Cullen's seemed to be quite smitten with the beautiful girl and were happy to offer ideas of how to include her in their daily lives; truly making her part of the family. Jasper warily noticed Emmet's lack of participation in the conversation. He waited for the younger boy to voice an opinion, but it never came. Instead, Emmett asked to be excused as soon as he was finished eating, claiming to have a mountain of homework waiting for him in his room.

As Alice helped Esme clear the dishes from the table, Carlisle asked Jasper and Edward to go with him to his study. Both young men grabbed their drinks and followed their father. As soon as he stepped into the only room in the house that his wife wasn't allowed to decorate, Carlisle slipped into full on doctor mode. He sat behind his desk, motioning for his sons to take a seat in either of the two chairs on the opposite side.

"First I want to thank you both for agreeing to assist me with Missy's care and potential rehabilitation. Any input either of you have is more than welcome. You've both spent some time with her today. Is there anything that either of you noticed or care to suggest about how we should proceed?" Carlisle opened the chart he'd amassed in Missy's case, pen poised over the next blank page, eagerly waiting for one of his sons to speak.

"I think that it if she is ever going to become responsive to us, she is going to have to get used to all of us and learn to trust us," Jasper said. "Towards that end, I think she should be included in as much of our daily lives as possible. Like Mom having her sit outside while she gardened. Being out there as everyone came home from school and work. Those are good starts. I think she should join us for as many meals as possible; to gain exposure to the way we interact with each other as a family." Carlisle scribbled quickly. "I think touch is important. We are all pretty affectionate with each other. That should be extended to Missy as often as possible. Maybe even a little more than we share with each other. This should help instill a deeper sense of trust in her."

"I agree," Edward replied. "I'd also like to cross reference her lab results for the past few weeks to rule out anything physiological that's been overlooked." At his father's raised eyebrow, Edward grinned wryly. "Not that you would have overlooked anything," he reassured "A fresh pair of eyes might see something new, though." Carlisle nodded in agreement and wrote some more. He then handed Edward a fat folder full of paper containing the results from Missy's blood work since the night she was admitted. Glancing through them, Edward was impressed at how extensive the tests her blood was subjected to were. He would take the file with him to his room that night to give it further attention.

"Alice!" Jasper exclaimed with a grin as he remembered the earlier scene. "Alice is definitely going to have to be a part of this plan. She was amazing this afternoon with Missy!" At this, Edward laughed and nodded.

"Absolutely!" he said through his laughter. "It seems Alice has finally found someone who she can not only play life size Barbie with, but who hasn't complained yet at all about who's dating who and wearing what at Forks High! Maybe the incessant chatter will draw her out more. And I never knew Alice to be such a mother hen! Mom may have met her match here, you know." Carlisle and Jasper chuckled, too.

"I wish both of the twins were as positively invested in Missy's wellbeing," Carlisle murmured as his grin was replaced by a look of sad frustration. "I wish Emmett would open up to one of us; tell us why he's behaving the way he is. Maybe it's time for some dear old Dad time," he mused. Jasper nodded, deciding not to repeat the conversation he and his little brother had the night before. He knew there was still more to Emmett's ugly attitude towards Missy than what he already admitted to. He also knew that Carlisle, who Emmett usually idolized, was the only one that would ever really get to the bottom of it.

"I think we are all thinking along the same lines here, then," Carlisle said as he closed the binder. "We will need to tell your mother, Emmett, and Alice what we've decided is best for now. We also have to explain the need for them to keep us informed of any changes in her responsiveness at all. We need to keep a close watch on her weight, too. I want to keep offering her solid foods, too. Her dental patterns tell us that she did, up to some point, eat solid food. That's one of the reasons I am convinced she's suffering a stress reaction instead of Autism. Autistic kids don't just refuse to eat to the point of needing to be tube fed." Carlisle finished his rant by swiping a hand down his face, effectively wiping away the irritation he felt over his newest daughter's condition. A condition they couldn't even begin to help heal until she at least acknowledged their existence.

"I also think," Edward began, "that we need to get more aggressive about finding out who she is." Chief Swan continued to receive updated reports of missing children, but there were still none that matched Missy's description. Carlisle expressed the same concern and told the boys that he had, in fact, already contracted a private investigator. He had just started his investigation, utilizing tactics that just weren't feasible for Chief Swan due, in part, to his somewhat limited budget, and to a greater degree, his tighter embrace of professional ethics.

"Mr. Jenks has his staff thoroughly researching stories involving girls fitting Missy's profile from newspapers all over the country and scouring the records of every known pedophile for matches between their victims' and missy's condition," Carlisle related. "Since she was found here, he thinks he will be able to 'go underground locally' and learn more. I will let you sit in when he gives his weekly report so we all learn of his progress together."

The meeting of the professional Cullen minds lasted a little while longer. By the time the men separated to go their own ways for the evening, each felt confident that all was going to be done that could to care for and treat the little girl in their care.


	4. Chapter 4

**This story has some dark spots that deal with child abuse...some of it sexual in nature, but it will all be implied...nothing too graphic. This is more a story of healing and recovery than one of horror, though some horrific things have happened to lead us to this point. I picked the rating cuz I just don't trust some of the players to curb their obnoxious tendencies. It is a little known fact that Emmett and Rosalie's native tongue is profanity. And Jasper speaks Pig Latin. But I digress.**

**I've never written fan fiction before. Or any fiction, really. Ok, so I've never actually written anything other than a check in my life. Oh. And I'm not a doctor. Or a psychologist. Or a vampire. I might make mistakes. Please be gentle. Oh. One more thing. I'm most definitely not the amazing Stephenie Meyer who, of course owns Twilight and anything you might recognize from it. I own a camera, a cat named Romeo, and more Polly Pockets than any grown up has any business owning.**

**I'm so very sorry that I have not updated in so long. No excuses except that life and all it's insanity got in the way of my writing, but I'm over that nonsense now. Thanks so much for reading. I hope you like it.**

"How are you going to weight her? Do you think she'll stand on the scale?" Alice asked. She had just helped Esme give Missy a bath, a task made a bit more challenging that it normally would be due to the cast that covered the lower end of the girl's arm. Carlisle mentioned earlier that they needed to weigh her every five days to make sure she wasn't losing any weight. He said that the bathroom scale would be fine for now, but if they did notice that she was dropping pounds, then he'd have to get one that measured ounces, too, and start to monitor the results even a few times a day. He didn't, however, discuss exactly how this was to be accomplished.

"Hmm," Esme pondered from where she sat on the lid of the toilet seat, "your father never said anything about her walking. I suppose I could hold her and subtract my weight. Whatever is left over would be all Missy. I wonder, though….," With that she shifted the young girl on her lap so that the girl's back was against Esme's chest; her legs hanging down in front of Esme's. With Alice grinning and cheering her on silently, Esme slowly opened her legs causing Missy's to drop in front of them. Alice reached to adjust the fluffy pink towel around her little sister's tiny frame and tucked the end in to form a robe of sorts. When the girl's feet were on the floor, Esme slowly lifted and pushed until the Missy's legs were holding all of her weight. Esme's hands, lightly encircling the little girl's waist, were providing only minimal balance. With wide eyes and an even wider grin, Esme looked completely impressed with Missy's newfound ability. She very slowly lifted her hands until they were spread out to hover over the child's sides.

"Alice? Why don't you take Missy's hand and show her where the scale is?" Esme asked softly. Alice instinctively knew to move slowly and it took all the restraint she could muster to not squeal when Missy slid one foot away from the other in an effort to follow the direction of the older girl's gentle tug. It took much longer than one would have expected, but the pair crossed the bathroom to where the scale sat in the corner. Missy made no attempt to step onto the device, so Alice lifted her up and repeated her mother's example to steady the child again.

"59 pounds," Alice announced. "I'll check the chart to see if it's changed since she left the hospital and add this number." She turned to race down the hall to Missy's room, only to dash back from halfway there to make sure that Esme was managing to put clothes on her little sister unaided. This earned her a roll of the eyes and a playful slap from her mother.

"Mary Alice Cullen, may I remind you that I somehow managed to keep your brothers in clothes when they were small? It was no easy feat, I might add. That's right, Missy," she affirmed conspiratorially with a grin, "our current day big men on campus used to have penchants for streaking around the house. Naked as jaybirds they were more often than not until they were almost old enough for school!"

"Mom? Really? Can nothing remain a secret around here?" Jasper chuckled from the hallway as Alice spun through the doorway and crashed right into him.

"Jazzy! Missy can walk!" Alice, already recovered from her shock, squealed as Jasper caught the tops of her arms in an attempt to keep the excited girl from toppling over.

"Ya? Sweet!" he admitted as he leaned against the doorframe. "Wanna show me?" he asked with a knowing grin. Jasper could feel the pride that his exuberant little sister was feeling rolling off of her in waves. Whether she was proud of Missy for displaying her ability to walk or of herself for whatever part she played in the discovery didn't even matter. He hugged her close to his side as they turned to head back to where Esme had just finished dressing the smallest Cullen who was once again sitting on their mother's lap.

"Jasper," Esme greeted warmly. "You're just in time to help Missy get settled downstairs in the kitchen while I gather the laundry from up here. Once I get a load going, she and I are going to make a grocery list. It seems Emmett has had quite the appetite for, well, basically everything in the house lately."

"Sure, Mom," Jasper said, watching in appreciation as Esme repeated her earlier actions which caused Missy's feet to drop to the bathroom floor. Once again she followed in the direction that Alice led her in, her eyes never wavering from the empty space directly ahead of her. They slowly shuffled down the hallway to the top of the steps. The effort of her short journey was already beginning to show; her breathing becoming labored and her legs starting to tremble. This didn't surprise Jasper. It was the most movement she had achieved in who knew how long. Jasper descended the first two steps and turned to bring himself face to face with his littlest sister. "I've got it from here little one," he promised as he scooped her into his arms and carried her down the stairs.

"I don't know, Dad," Emmett groaned. He and Carlisle had spent nearly an hour side by side on the floor of Emmett's room, backs propped on the side of the bed, playing a mindless video game as they talked. "It's like I know that I'm being an ass, but I don't even know why. Maybe…" he started, but having nothing else to offer in way of explanation, he blew a big breath out through his teeth. The possibilities of where his emotion may be rooted were too embarrassing for the boy to verbalize. Carlisle chuckled at his youngest son's bewilderment, seeming to know the thoughts that were swimming in his head. Missy had been with the family for over two weeks and the boy still hadn't shown any sign of warming to the idea of her being there.

"Do you think you might be scared for some reason? Concerned about how her presence is going to affect you? Jealous for some reason?" Carlisle offered. Emmett chanced a sideward glance at him, feeling a bit exposed. Those were some of the exact thoughts the boy had been pondering. "None of those feelings would be uncommon to someone in your shoes. And any of those would be valid feelings. Feelings that if left inside could really wreck havoc on the emotions that you do let out." Emmett dropped his hands in his lap, the game forgotten as the controller tumbled from his massive thigh.

"What if I'm mad?" he asked as he let his chin drop towards his chest. "I mean really mad? Pissed. The. Fuck. Off?" His voice began to reveal some of the intense anger he was suddenly feeling. Carlisle turned to face him, dipping his head in order to catch Emmett's blue eyes with his own.

"Anger is another valid emotion. What are you angry about? What or who are you angry with?" he implored. Emmett allowed his shoulders to slump and brought his hands up to cover each side of his face

"She's broken, Dad. She's broken and somebody did that to her. She's a little fucking kid and someone fucking _broke_ her. She can't talk, or walk more than 15 steps, or even fucking eat because some sick bastard did God knows what to her!" By now Emmett had gotten to his feet and was pacing the room. Carlisle rose enough to sit on the edge of the bed, watching his son work through his thoughts.

"Where is her fucking mother? Whose kid is this? How does nobody care where she is or what the fuck has happened to her? Where were the fucking social workers who are always so fucking happy to butt in where they don't belong? Why were they not there fucking helping her? Who was watching out for her?" He was yelling by now, veins in his neck and forehead throbbing with rage. Carlisle let him rant until he ran out of steam and threw himself backwards on the bed next to his father.

"It doesn't make sense, though, Dad!" Emmett whined as he sat back up. Carlisle cocked his head and narrowed his eyes, trying to follow the boy's train of thought. "Ok, I get it now. I'm mad," he continued, "but why am I mad at her? What did she do? It's impossible for even the most irritating kid to warrant being punished like that. You said that she had been being abused for some time?" Carlisle nodded. He knew that telling his family details of Missy's condition could be viewed as a breech of confidentiality. He shared some details with them, though, on the basis that she was now family and knowing such details would help them to better understand why he thought she was in the state she was in. He now had a grasp on what Emmett was thinking and was prepared to offer a rebuttal of sorts.

"Yes, son," Carlisle nodded. "From what we can tell from x-rays and other tests, it seems she has been suffering from physical abuse for quite a few years. She's had several broken bones, mostly the ones in her upper arms that healed in a way that leads me to believe that she did not receive medical attention. We also know that, while she had some nutrition until more recently, it was not adequate for building a strong healthy body."

"Why didn't she tell someone, Dad? What kind of idiot runs around with broken arms and doesn't tell someone that they hurt?" Emmett flinched for a minute when he realized what he was saying, but there it was. As if he had just opened an envelope and read the answer to his question, he suddenly knew where the root of the disdain he felt for his new little sister laid. "Oh Dad, I'm so fucked up! I'm blaming her for what happened to her! Mother of God what's wrong with me?" Tears poured from his tortured blue eyes as he bent to hang his face over his knees in an effort to stave off the dizziness his realization was causing. He didn't even try to stop the wracking sobs and heaves that overtook him. He barely felt father's arms around him or heard the whispered words of comfort that Carlisle offered.

"It's going to be alright, son. We will find out what happened eventually. Until then, she needs us. We can be there for her in the ways that it seems nobody else was. Be angry. I'm angry. It was a sick person who inflicted the kind of abuse she's known. Let him or her have all the anger. Not Missy. Protect her from knowing more pain. That is your gift, son. Share it with her as you do with the rest of us."

Emmett had calmed some and was nodding at his father's words. After some time, the tears stopped and the huge boy took a few shaky deep breaths. He offered a bashful smile, upset at the way he melted down, but feeling too washed clean emotionally from it to really care.

"I'll try, Dad. But no way in fucking hell am I changing any diapers. Ever," he promised which made Carlisle throw his head back and laugh.

"I guess we can excuse you from that job," he conceded. "It will all work out, Emmett. You'll see." Carlisle rose and headed for the door. "I think I should go check to see if your mother has anything for me to do before I leave for the hospital. I love you, son."

"I love you, too, Dad," Emmett nodded as he lay back on his bed. Being that angry and crying that hard had drained him emotionally and physically. As he drifted to sleep he thought of how to find out more about Missy.

**The next chapter is almost done and WILL be up over the weekend. I'm keeping this story here for now...I'm afraid my Twilighted beta just may have given up on me. Which reminds me...there is no beta for this work, so I completely own any and all mistakes. If you spot something, let me know!**


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